Apple has recently decided to defend its interests in the ongoing US antitrust investigation into Google independently. This decision is partly motivated by the company’s lack of intention to create its own search engine. Apple’s management has provided clear reasons for this stance in documents submitted to the US Federal Court.
Reasons Against Developing a Search Engine
In the documents filed, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services, Eddy Cue, outlined several arguments as to why Apple would not pursue the development of its own search engine. One of the main reasons is the high cost and resource allocation required to build such a business. Cue noted that creating a search engine would demand billions of dollars and years of work, which would divert resources from other, more critical growth areas that Apple is currently focused on.
Moreover, the search industry is rapidly evolving, especially with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), and Apple believes that entering this competitive field would be risky. Another significant issue is the need to sell targeted advertising to sustain a viable search engine, which contradicts Apple’s core values. The company prioritizes its customers’ privacy, and selling targeted ads would conflict with this long-term strategy. Additionally, Apple lacks the necessary expertise and infrastructure to build and maintain a search engine business that could compete with established players.
Apple’s Stance on the Google Partnership
The US justice authorities are currently scrutinizing the practice of appointing Google as the default search service on Apple devices, reminds NIXSolutions. In response, Apple has expressed its readiness to defend this practice and provide testimony in support of its business practices. A representative from Apple emphasized that the company strives to offer the best user experience and is constantly considering various partnerships and collaborations with other companies to achieve this goal.
In 2022, Apple earned nearly $20 billion from Google by keeping the search engine as the default on Apple devices. Apple argues that if this practice were interrupted, it could harm its ability to offer products that best serve the interests of its users. Yet, we’ll keep you updated as more integrations become available in the future.